WILLIAMSTOWN, MA (November 8, 2026) -- The No. 3 ranked Tufts University women's soccer team rallied to pull to within one of top-seed Willliams College late in the second, but the Jumbos were unable to capture its second straight conference crown as Williams took the 2026 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) title game 2-1 Sunday afternoon. 

The loss was the first of the season for the Jumbos (13-1-3), who are assured of getting into the NCAA Tournament as an at-large team Monday at 11:30 a.m. with the announcement of the field on NCAA.com. 

Tufts outshot the host Ephs on Sunday 11-9, while holding a 5-4 edge in shots on goal as well. 

The first good chance of the game came in the third minute, as senior Waverly Sumner had her chance saved by Williams' keeper Chelsea Mohammed. Tufts senior keeper Gigi Edwards answered minutes later with a save of her own on Elizabeth Stophel to keep the game scoreless. 

The breakthrough for Williams came in the 34rd minute, as Stophel made a few moves in front of goal to beat two Jumbos defenders. She worked her way towards the right side of the box, and shot back left into the side netting to put Williams up 1-0. 

Williams (14-1-2) doubled its lead in the 70th minute, as Lyyli Stern volleyed in a corner kick service from Lauren Rosenberg for the 2-0 lead. Tufts turned up the pressure from that point, taking three shots before finally getting on the board thanks to senior Reese Birch. 

On the goal, first-year Gussie Robillard beat her defender and played a perfect low cross to Birch, who left-footed the shot right in front past Mohammed to make it 2-1. Tufts would scramble to get an equalizer late, as sophomore Alyssa Ruiz had a shot with 1:06 to play but it whizzed wide left. 

That would be the final attempt on goal of the game, as the Ephs held on for their NESCAC leading ninth all-time conference title. It was their first since 2017 as well. Tufts finished as the NESCAC runner-up for the fourth time in program history. 

Senior Emily Nicholas and Birch each had a pair of shots Sunday, as did Ruiz off the bench. Edwards made two stops in net for the Jumbos, while her counterpart Mohammed had four saves in the win.